Sweet-and-Sour Chicken Kabobs

These protein-rich kabobs provide the necessary amino acids to help build and repair muscles after active competition. Serve with brown rice to provide complex carbohydrates that replenish your tired athlete's energy.

Lemongrass & Sesame Grilled Scallops

Hearty Minestrone

This meal-in-a-bowl from our November 2005 "Loaf & Ladle" story will disappear quickly, but if you do have leftovers, adjust consistency with a little liquid.

Glazed Salmon Bundles With Sesame Bok Choy

Rice paper can be found in the Asian aisle of the grocery store. Be sure to dry it thoroughly after soaking to get a nice crispy texture and handle it gently to prevent tearing.

Quesadilla Pie

The height of this pie will impress your guests. Make the fillings ahead of time, then assemble and bake the pie at the event.

Thick and Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

On a cold, dreary day, there's no dish more soothing than a steaming bowl of chicken soup. In this one-pot version, we've poached the chicken in the savoury broth to intensify the chicken flavour and added a touch of cream for a velvety, rich consistency.

Grilled Bacon-Stuffed Pork Chops

Get a double dose of pork with these ultraflavourful stuffed chops. For best results, use day-old bread cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) cubes. Serve with mixed greens or grilled vegetables.

Pastitsio Goes Light

This is the Greek variation of lasagna, made with less fuss and less fat, too. It's great for company — make it the day before, then pop it in the oven. Serve with a light green salad tossed with a sun-dried tomato vinaigrette.

Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa

This crowd-pleaser makes a great taco filling. Or, serve it over rice with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of fresh herbs. Well-marbled beef will have white lines of fat throughout; as the marbling melts during cooking, it keeps the meat moist and tender and infuses the beef with flavour.

Tamarind Flank Steak Noodle Bowl

Tamarind is a pulp commonly used in Asian, South American and Middle Eastern cooking. A little hot water is all that's needed to soften the tamarind so that you can turn it into sauce. Reserve the remaining sauce for another use.